2018 Contender 25S — Should You Buy One?
Typical asking price: $65,000–$95,000. There are 2 high-severity known issues you need to know before handing over a check.
Kestrel Take
Contender builds serious offshore center consoles with exceptional hull quality for the price. The 25S is a legitimate offshore boat — handles 3-4 foot seas well. It's also the kind of boat that sees hard use from serious anglers. Inspect the offshore rigging and twin outboards thoroughly.
What we checked
Not checked against public records
Boats are the Coast Guard’s, not NHTSA’s. It publishes a Cases and Campaigns file, but its model and year fields are free text and the recent entries are mostly hull-ID and capacity-label paperwork, so we have not been able to join it to a specific boat honestly yet. What follows is our own write-up, and it has not been reconciled against an official record. Treat it as a starting point, not a verdict.
Known Issues for the 2018 Contender 25S
Ranked by wallet impact. These are documented, recurring problems — not freak accidents. How we decide that.
Two outboards means double the annual service cost. Verify records for both engines — lower unit oil, impeller, and spark plugs annually.
Repair cost (estimate): $600-$4,000 annual service for both
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Serious offshore boats have extensive rigging — outriggers, rod holders, downriggers. Salt water corrodes everything. Inspect all hardware and wiring.
Repair cost (estimate): $300-$2,000
Source: not yet checked against public records.
T-top welds and leaning post pedestals stress and corrode on offshore boats. Inspect all welds and mounting points.
Repair cost (estimate): $500-$2,000
Source: not yet checked against public records.
Walk-Away Red Flags
- ✗Either outboard with no service records
- ✗Corrosion on rigging hardware, wiring, or bilge components
- ✗T-top with cracked welds or separated mounting points
Good Signs
- ✓Yamaha dealer service history for both outboards showing annual maintenance
- ✓Regular freshwater flush of engines and hull rinse documented
- ✓All electronics and rigging hardware functioning correctly
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Found a specific Contender 25S?
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Known issues on this page are based on documented owner reports, NHTSA complaints, class-action records, and manufacturer technical service bulletins. Individual vehicles vary. A pre-purchase inspection by a trusted mechanic is always worth doing.
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